Association between inflammation and use of cannabis (Cannabis sativa) in patients in first psychotic episode

• Grant number: 17/13353-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Louzada Junior
• Grantee: Leonardo Marques
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/08216-2 - CRID - Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are considered severe health problems, which affect millions of people around the world, especially those at the end of adolescence or at early adulthood. Recent studies have demonstrated an inflammatory profile for these diseases, suggesting a possible inflammatory imbalance in their neurobiology. In this context, the synthesis and secretion of peripheral and central cytokines could be associated with neural functioning alterations and, thus, with the genesis of psychiatric disorders. However, the establishment of this inflammatory imbalanced phenotype may be related to the effects of several risk factors acting during critical phases of neurodevelopment, such as Cannabis sativa use. Epidemiologic studies suggest a strong association between this drug use and an increased in psychosis susceptibility, although the determination of a consistent causality could be problematic, due to the presence of several confounders, such as heterogeneous diagnosis of patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, genetic factors and duration of disease. Therefore, this study will investigate the triangulation between First Episode Psychosis, cannabis, inflammatory profile while partially controlling the confounders, aiming identify more accurately the magnitude of the effects of cannabis use on the neurobiology of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. (AU)